In Praise of Literary Agents

This morning, I started thinking about the queries I have out there to various agents (and no, this post is not meant as a kiss-up to those agents should they peruse my site!). I asked myself, "Why do you want an agent?" In a world of self-publishing, e-publishing, and other amazing options, there's been a lot of talk about whether agents are really necessary.

My goal is to go the traditional publishing route. I realize that's a HUGE dream that has a very real chance of never happening. There's so much talent out there. So many fantastic authors... I'm honored to even be thinking about joining their ranks! But that saying is stuck in the back of my head..."Go big, or go home." I'm still going to shoot for those stars.

With my goal in mind, I believe an agent is a must. The way I see it, an agent is an intercessor. Someone who believes in me and my writing and is willing to try to sell it to the world. A friend. A companion to walk with me across the rough road of publishing. A cheerleader. And a dose of reality.

After giving this some thought, I hopped online to check my email and social media. I stumbled across this great article. A tribute to a literary agent. Click here. My favorite quote: "Creative people need champions who are not related to them."

I'm looking forward to my relationship with my future agent. No clue who that is at this point, of course, but I'm confident I'll be matched with the right one. Until then, I keep writing. Keep querying. And keep hoping for the best.

If you have an agent, what's your favorite thing about them?